Israeli Coffee Cart Owner Faces Theft and Local Council Obstacles After Hamas Attack

Hagai Horovitz from Kfar Aza rebuilt his coffee cart business after Hamas militants burned it during the October 7 massacre. Despite reopening near Kibbutz Ruhama about a year later and recently returning to the original site near the Black Arrow memorial, Horovitz faces ongoing challenges including repeated thefts, vandalism, and economic difficulties.

In the past months, thieves attempted to break into the Ruhama cart, stealing the cash register and generator previously, and recently damaging cameras and a refrigerator, causing tens of thousands of shekels in losses. Horovitz expressed frustration with the police, who closed his complaint citing lack of public interest, and called for increased patrols to protect his business.

Horovitz also criticized the Sha'ar HaNegev Regional Council for relocating his cart from the original, shaded site at the Black Arrow memorial to the opposite side of the road, awarding the prime location to another business. He said this decision severely hurt his customer flow and undermined his efforts to restore the site, which he personally rehabilitated after the attack. Although the military approved his return for March 2025, the council refused to allow him back earlier.

Now, less than three months after reopening at the memorial site, Horovitz is considering closing the business due to mounting losses and obstacles. He lamented, "What Hamas failed to do, the council succeeded," and shared his disappointment at being unable to revive what he built with his own hands.